Top News:
Dave Sheinin / Baseball Insider:
Red Sox-Mets Talking Deal For Schneider — Two industry sources here at the Bellagio have confirmed the Boston Red Sox are in discussions with the New York Mets about catcher Brian Schneider, a further indication the Red Sox are preparing for the departure of captain Jason Varitek.
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Joel Sherman / Hardball:
Winter Meetings update — The Mets talked several weeks ago to the Red Sox about dealing Brian Schneider. But the Met plan then was to trade Schneider and hopefully sign free agent Jason Varitek because the Mets thought better game-calling was needed. But once the Red Sox agreed …
New York Post:
K-ROD'S AGENT WILLING TO BE CREATIVE WITH METS — TALKING ABOUT SHORTER DEAL WITH OPT-OUT — Francisco Rodriguez's agent, Paul Kinzer, acknowledges his client set the single-season saves record at the wrong time. With the economy spiraling, Kinzer acknowledged the bids for his client are down, as well.
Scott Miller's Bull Pennings:
Phillies involved in Cubs-Padres Peavy talks — LAS VEGAS — The continued effort between San Diego and the Cubs to figure out a way to send ace Jake Peavy to Chicago has resulted in their engaging the Philadelphia Phillies as a potential third team to help facilitate a deal, CBSSports.com has learned.
Discussion:
Philly.com, MASN Online, Chicago's Inside Pitch, Phillies Nation, Balls, Sticks, & Stuff and Hot Foot
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Hot Stove Blog:
Is a Peavy deal close? — LAS VEGAS - The legwork, complex and time-consuming, for a potential Jake Peavy trade to the Chicago Cubs has essentially been completed. — Now, all Padres general manager Kevin Towers needs is for his Cubs' counterpart, Jim Hendry, to give him the go-ahead to make the deal.
Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
BASEBALL WINTER MEETINGS: Theirs for the taking — Cubs only team in pursuit of Peavy as Padres push to complete deal this week — LAS VEGAS — As promised, the Cubs' pursuit of Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Jake Peavy moved into high gear during Day 1 of the winter meetings Monday …
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
CC tells Colletti of interest in Dodgers — Dodgers GM hopes to re-sign Blake; talks for Cano not substantial — LAS VEGAS — In the Bellagio Hotel to meet with Yankees brass on Sunday night, free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia ran into Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti and told him he wants to be a Dodger, Colletti said on Monday.
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, Hot Stove Blog, Associated Press, True Blue LA, JSOnline and iYankees
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Update from the suite — Brian Cashman just said he met again today with CC Sabathia. “We're on his list,” Cashman said. — More to come. — UPDATE, 7:02 p.m.: Joe Girardi said he felt good about the meeting. Sabathia asked questions about the lifestyle in New York for his wife and kids, schools, etc.
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Kobrien / On the Yankees beat:Cashman talks — Lots to talk about from the meeting with Brian Cashman:
Discussion:
MiamiHerald.com
Jon Heyman / For the Record:Sabathia talks with BoSox, but Yanks still in lead
Discussion:
JSOnline, MLB.com, iYankees, New Jersey Online, LA Times Sports Blog, WEEI Blogs and Sliding Into Home
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
YANKEES MEET WITH BEN SHEETS — LAS VEGAS — In addition to meeting with CC Sabathia today, the Yankees met with his former Brewers teammate and fellow free agent, Ben Sheets, late this afternoon. — Sheets, 30, who started the All-Star Game for the National League this season …
Discussion:
Hot Stove Blog, MLB.com, Pinstriped Scranton, Zell's Pinstripe Blog, The Yankee Scrolls, MLB Rumors and Pinstripes, Pa.
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Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yankees Brewin' up multi-year offer for free agent Ben Sheets — LAS VEGAS - While most of the attention in the Yankees' universe is focused on CC Sabathia, the Bombers are preparing to make an offer to another free agent pitcher from Milwaukee in the next 72 hours.
ESPN.com:
GM: Sabathia says he would like to be a Dodger — Maybe CC Sabathia does indeed want to work close to home. — Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark on Monday that he ran into the free agent on Sunday night in a hotel lobby and the left-hander told him that he wants to be a Dodger.
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Pettitte among numerous options for Sox — LAS VEGAS - Shortly after Theo Epstein met with reporters tonight, an agent walking the hall of the Bellagio resort and casino gave the Red Sox the supreme compliment. — “They explore everything,” said the agent.
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Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Rodriguez isn't thrilled by Mets' offer — Buzz up! — LAS VEGAS - Francisco Rodriguez walked through the lobby at the Bellagio hotel after meeting with the New York Mets on Monday and didn't give the impression that he'd been bowled over by an offer. — Asked if he was meeting with anyone else …
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David Lennon / On the Mets beat:
K-Rod looking cozy with Mets — It seems that the lobby of the Bellagio is no longer the place to be for stakeout duty here. Now the crush of reporters, as well as curious passersby, are clogging the area around the elevator banks on the fringe of the casino.
Discussion:
New York Post, Mets Fever, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Seven Train to Shea Mets Blog and MetsBlog.com
La Velle / Twins Insider:
Before you fire up the snowblower, here are more winter meetings updates — Just spoke with sources on both sides of the Delmon Young-to-the-Phillies rumor: — It would take more than Jason Donald for the Twins to make that deal. The Phillies are looking for a corner outfielder …
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David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Maddux will be missed; could Ankiel be a Brave? — Las Vegas — He walked among us as just another guy, with an rather unimpressive physique and a wonderful whacked-out, self-deprecating sense of humor. — But atop the pitcher's mound, Greg Maddux was not just another guy. Or even just another major league ace.
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National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum:
Gordon elected to Hall by Veterans Committee — Former Yankees, Indians second baseman to be enshrined in 2009 — National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum — COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Nine-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion Joe Gordon was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today by the Veterans Committee.
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Dave Sheinin / Nationals Journal:
Wrapping Up Day One — Here is the text of what I wrote about the Nationals for the print edition. Go to the jump for some additional nuggets that did not make the paper: — Whatever the view around the game is of the Washington Nationals' unlikely pursuit of free agent Mark Teixeira …
